CBS insider labels Dodgers' Kyle Tucker signing 'tip of the iceberg,' warns MLB of future dilemma

Hunter Cookston

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CBS insider labels Dodgers' Kyle Tucker signing 'tip of the iceberg,' warns MLB of future dilemma image

The Los Angeles Dodgers struck gold on Thursday night when they locked up the biggest name on the market: Kyle Tucker. The World Series champion is heading to LA, looking to help the Dodgers win three in a row. The deal is short but hefty.

“Kyle Tucker, the consensus best player available in free agency, agreed to join the Dodgers on Thursday, sources told ESPN, a little more than a month after star closer Edwin Diaz did the same. Tucker's deal is for four years at $240 million and includes opt-outs after the second and third seasons, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan and Jesse Rogers,” ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez wrote.

The deal also has some interesting components, including deferrals for Tucker.

“Net present value of Tucker’s deal will be $57M per season, beating Juan Soto’s previous record by more than $6M, sources tell The Athletic. Deferrals total $30M — $10M in each of last three seasons. First with deferred amount,” MLB reporter Ken Rosenthal posted.

The Dodgers have now hit the jackpot in every offseason for the last three winters. Meanwhile, MLB is set to negotiate a new CBA following the conclusion of the 2026 season. A main point of emphasis will be the luxury tax, and MLB insider Jim Bowden believes the Tucker signing is just the tip of the iceberg.

“It's probably the tip of the iceberg that's going to change everything going forward for the entire industry,” Bowden said.

Coming into the offseason, it was intriguing to see how some players would approach deals knowing a new CBA was likely after the upcoming season. With the rich getting richer, it now seems to be a waiting game to see exactly what happens.

The writing is on the wall, and for the Dodgers, it will be interesting to see the impact once these new rules are applied. Bowden warned that some big changes are coming.

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